habari

  

Hello to my faithful friends and family! Things are well here at Mama Orphan's as we finally have power and internet again! I'm pretty sure we didn't go much longer than 24 hours without either, but on top of not having running water we have felt pretty disconnected from the real world. (Not being able to make toast was probably my highest complaint, but other than that we made do quite nicely :) ). I also haven't had any issues with taking my medicine, so thanks for the prayers and happy thoughts!


As we are nearing the end of week 2, we are finding our routines for the week and settling into teaching. I have been really loving getting to know my Standards 3 and 4 Math classes, as well as learning how to get them excited about math! We are finishing up a unit on money in Standard 4, so we made our own currency (I keep saying dollars instead of shillings!) and had a little store today! They really enjoyed it I think, most of them never having had the opportunity to make a purchase in their lives. We might have to make a field trip to the YakoMart, our local grocery/everything store, but for now JoHannahMart will have to do.

As for teaching English, well, we're getting there.

Last weekend we rented a car and drove to the Kakamega Rainforest! It was a good first outing for us, and I got to drive! I don't consider myself the best driver, and I have no idea what the stipulations are for getting a Kenya drivers license, but nobody died! We did a lot of hiking and learned a lot about trees and plants in the rainforest, as well as saw a lot of monkeys and baboons! We got quite close to a huge baboon, it was a weird/awesome experience. We also stopped at the Kakamega YakoMart and found American peanut butter and ketchup! (It's the little things, guys!)

Today I had my first experience washing my laundry by hand, and I don't think I was too bad at it. (I'd like to thank my grandmother for the previous experience...) All of these things (hand washing laundry, bucket showering, brushing teeth from a water bottle, etc.) haven't been too difficult to adapt to, but make the thought of throwing a load into a washing machine or turning on the tap to brush my teeth or take a shower (showers can be warm?) seem like things that only happen in movies... it's a good thing I'm used to keeping my showers few and far between!

Eunice and I are somewhat progressing in Swahili... make that not really at all actually. We've ditched the studying the last few days and taken up some more enjoyable activities, such as reading and telling stories, basically just laughing a lot. She has promised to take me to the best market stand in the neighbourhood so I can buy an avocado tomorrow, she tells me they're the best! She is in Standard 5 she goes to school everyday, leaving nightly study sessions the only time we hang out. The Standard 4s have noticed that we have become friends, and one student asked if I like Eunice more than tomato sauce. I suppose you could say that I do.

Last story! There has been a few new kids introduced to the orphanage since we have been here, the most recent is a child who was found in Uganda. He is probably about 5 or 6, but only speaks Ugandan. My heart was broken the first time I saw him, so scared, not knowing anyone or having anyone to communicate with very effectively. He was extremely cautious of us, the wuzungus (white people), as most kids here are at first anyway. Yesterday there was no power (as there often isn't), so the kids so lovingly coaxed (more like yelled "Teacha! Teacha!" at us from the window) us into helping them up the stairs and to tucking them in using our head-lamps at bed time. It was mild chaos (the best kind), as we had never seen the children's dormitories even in the light. Once we had most of the crazies rounded up into bed, I felt a small hand take mine. It was the new boy. In all the hustle and bustle of making dinner and getting to bed without power, he was never told what to do. He was never given a bed. (I haven't yet been that close to crying the whole time I've been there.)
Not knowing who to ask (the kids are all kind of on their own most of the time, and the care takers are usually tending to the little babies, cleaning up after supper, etc.), I found Eunice. She grabbed the boys other hand and we attempted to calmly assure him we would take care of him, though he had no idea what was going on either I'm sure. We went back upstairs and Eunice, talking with a few other older kids, found him a bed with a blanket and everything. I bent down to tuck him in, and his huge black eyes showed no emotion as I attempted to sound calm and comforting. Searching his eyes for something (anything!) that would tell me he was alright, I kissed his forehead and it happened. He giggled. I smiled (and might have shed a tear), and kissed him again and again until he, giggling and giggling, seemed calm and somewhat happy. By that time the room was mostly quiet and we slipped out, bidding our babies sweet dreams.
(Today I learned that this boy is to affectionately be called 'Boi'. I'll post a picture soon!)

The long term effects of me being here are so blatantly obviously for me. I have struggled with this a bit, wondering if completely opening up and pouring out will benefit anyone, knowing that I will be leaving in 4 short weeks. I do know, however, that my God is sovereign, and I am here for a reason. (Sorry that was cheesy, I don't know how else to say it!) I am already so grateful for this experience, and am excited to see what the next 4 weeks hold.

I miss you, I love you, but it's bed time here in Busia! Lala salama! (Sleep well!)